Staff Correspondent

Ten out of every 100 children in urban areas of Bangladesh are overweight and four are obese, shows a study of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B).
The findings reveal that 56 percent of the children have normal weight, while 30 percent are underweight because of malnutrition.
The study, “Obesity prevalence and patterns of diet and physical activity among children and adolescents in urban areas in Bangladesh”, was conducted in seven divisional cities from April 1 to June 30 by ICDDR,B’s Centre for Control of Chronic Diseases with support from National Nutrition Services of the Institute of Public Health Nutrition.
Around 4,100 children, aged 5 to 18, from 207 wards of the cities were surveyed.
The study indicates that there is a double burden of under-nutrition and over-nutrition, speakers told a seminar at the capital’s ICDDR,B where the findings were shared yesterday. The findings also show that the children are not involved in rigorous physical activities. About 70 percent have access to a playground.
Principal Investigator Prof Louis Wilhelmus Niessen and Co-principal Investigators Dr Aliya Naheed and Nazratun Nayeem Monalisa of the study also spoke.